Connect

Duplicity – Being Yourself in a Society that Dismisses Individuality

We are taught at an early age to “be ourselves.” This is dangerous advice for the heretics of society. It is no secret that the subtext of such a statement should read “but show no flaws.” Even then, the designation of what makes up a flaw is subject to debate by the masses. Maybe an individual registers on the autistic spectrum and has their authenticity denied by a society that demands behavioral conformity. Maybe, like myself, you are antisocial or psychopathic and your affective empathy is highly stunted. There are penalties to being yourself in many cases. It’s interesting. Progressives championing multiculturalism and individuality claim to be for everyone, but even they are selective as to who should apply. Conservatives are no better on this front. In the end, “being yourself” is duplicitous advice, not because of any detriment that the individual brings to the table, but rather because of the repercussions brought by a society hell bent on assimilation.

Assimilation, that is ultimately that endgame of society. They seek to unify people under every possible umbrella imaginable as determined by the mass in power, the majority. Same sex couples are allowed to show their faces as long as they are “homonormative.” Antisocial individuals can do the same so long as they are “reformed.” The malcontent can speak so long as her words resonate and mirror that of the larger mass. The notion that individuality is truly championed is nothing but a façade.

So what do we do? What does the individual have to do in order to honor their own uniqueness as a human being? Maybe they should take a cue from the psychopath. Maybe they should simply learn not to care and to deal with the consequences of individuality. The individual is a heretic, but the heretic can still fight the good fight. Be yourself, no matter who you are. Learn to disconnect from the pressures of society and “be yourself” even though society is duplicitous with it’s decree that individuality be honored. I risk my own livelihood at times by being as open and honest with myself as I am. However, the ability to embrace my individuality has far greater worth than any threat of retribution ever could. Will you make the same choice or will you succumb to the pressures of the mass? Will you be yourself or someone else?